We wanted to go to the nearby High Trestle Trail Bridge, so we stopped here for lunch with our…read moregrandkids on a weekday just after noon. We were quickly seated and got our drinks and started to look over the menu, which house lots of options! The kids settled in on a grilled cheese and a taco respectively. I decided to get the lunch burrito and my wife went for the lunch enchilada. Our food came out pretty quickly and everything was very fresh tasting and the serving sizes are huge! For a lunch special I expected a lunch-sized portion and I got what I would consider an evening-sized portion. The same for my wife's meal. When we were wrapping up, they came out with ice cream for the kids. They really enjoyed that even though you would've thought they'd have been full after all they ate for lunch. The spice level on everything was very mild. The salsa had just a little bit of a zing to it but nothing that would stop the kids for eating it. Next time I will ask for some hot sauce or throw some jalapeños in my entrée, but I do like it spiced up a bit. Service was very good and a gentleman who I assume is the owner was very funny and engaged well with everyone in the restaurant. They have a parking lot and everything was neat and clean. We did not partake of any adult drink offerings, but they did have what look to be a nice nicely stocked bar

Lovely little restaurant and the staff is so friendly. The food came out very fast and had HUGE…read moreportions so you'll probably have plenty of leftovers! So happy we stopped here passing through Madrid.

4.6* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 5*…read more Service: 4* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $7 05/01/2026 While this place was closed the last time we drove through, I vowed to stop on the next trip and we got our chance to enjoy a stop with our grandson and his parents last night. It enjoys a great location on a corner next to a park and has a modern, clean look inside and out. We enjoyed several types of ice cream, but my wife and I shared a Comet (Blizzard) with Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Heath candy mix-in (see picture). It was a great combination that we would highly recommend and would order again! If you are in (or driving through) Polk City, this is a must-stop to enjoy some great ice cream! If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

New to the downtown Des Moines area, the creamery offers a great stop on your walking tour for…read moreexcellent ice cream and super friendly service. Only opened since mid April 2025, offers indoor seating at the front, which allows for people watching on the street. The restaurant is very clean and has a super fresh feel. Meter street parking is available for easy access.

I've passed Cole's many times and just kind of shrugged it off. It looks like a state fair food…read morestand that sits along the road. We rolled by it on our way home from a little day trip North today and decided to give it a try. There is no inside dining room. Just a walk up window and a pseudo-patio with a few picnic tables. Parking is tight, but there are a few adjacent spaces that can catch overflow if needed. I didn't know a lot about Cole's. A few pieces of Star Wars memorabilia, loud colored signs, a veterans mural and large battle cross on the storefront caught my eye. Being a veteran myself I decided to dig in a little bit and try to figure out what was going on with this place. The first thing I found... We were first timers, but people LOVE this place. There was a line. We were rubbernecking and watching food come out the window while waiting to order. The locals were friendly. More than once we heard "We've never had anything bad here. It's ALL good." Second. Cole's basically burned to the ground last year. The owner with support of the community of Slater rebuilt it. The third thing... Even more humbling for me than the story surrounding the rebuild. And the one that gave me the answer I was looking for about the veteran related pieces... The owner of Cole's (David Sturdy) named his restaurant after his son Brandon Cole Sturdy. Brandon joined the Marines and was lost to hostile fire in the Afghanistan War at the age of 19 on May 4, 2004. From this former sailor... Semper Fortis Marine. The food. We ordered a Cole's Super Tenderloin. Hand pounded and perfectly cooked. Topped with brisket, onion rings, dill pickles, and BBQ sauce. The Super Tenderloin was comboed out with some of the best onion rings I've ever had. Large. Whole onion rings...not minced. And again perfectly fried. The mound of shredded cheese is covering a boat of chili and hand cut fries hot out of the fryer. That and one scoop of hard chocolate ice cream in a bowl came to $27.50... Service at the window went well. The portions are HUGE. We split everything and were both more than full. If a little bit of a wait pisses you off... If you're not okay eating at a picnic table, in your car, or at a nearby park... This might not be the place for you. If you like good fair style food and ice cream... Grinders, various types of hot dogs, burgers, tenderloins, chicken strips, etc. Cyclones, hard pack ice cream, soft serve, banana splits and more.... See their Facebook page for a full menu. If you enjoy something new. Enjoy a short day trip. Enjoy time outside with your family on a beautiful day. This is a great spot. About seven weeks ago the owner made a post on Facebook that almost sounded like the restaurant's days might be numbered. Under it was a comment that added more detail. Like it may only be open on weekends for now... I know it was open today. And I know it would be a damn shame to lose another small town Iowa treasure like this with everything going on right now...

Cole's American Tenderloin and Ice Cream Bar is one of those little places you drive by and think,…read more"bet the food is good there." Famous for its American Tenderloin, Cole's also offers old-fashioned shakes made with real ice cream, and huge tacos with a pound of meat. The tenderloin $12/tax) is the star, a hand-pounded piece of meat so juicy and tender it almost melts in your mouth. The French fries are fried in a special fat and covered with herbs. The flavor of Cole's fried food tastes outstanding and the portion sizes are easily enough for two people. This is traditional Americana roadside fried food at its finest. Inside dining is limited to just a few tables, most people probably pick up their ice cream treats outside "to go" in the summer. Not really much here for people with specific dietary needs. It's just not that kind of place but they often try new items for the menu. Today's new item was tater tots with beef, onions, sprinkled with cheese. Sometimes you're just really hungry for this kind of food.

Their ice cream is good, we liked the flavors we got. Check their page on Facebook for a discount…read more My husband thought that for the price they were not that good. We appreciate that they make their ice cream, cheese and butter right there. We got a rhubarb pie but it wasn't good. The crust tasted too much like lard. I don't think they make the pies there though. I don't recomendó their pues but the ice cream is good.

I live close to here and we talk about going, but never take the time. Someone said they were…read moregoing out there to get some Amish hand rolled butter. That really sparked my interest. I love butter, hand rolled never heard of it and I love to cook making a trifecta. Gotta go now and super glad I did. They have everything Ice Cream, meat sticks, jams, salsas to bread mixes that anyone would want to zip up there next gathering. It's a little Mom and Pop shop with locally sourced products of all kinds. I went out there for a pound of butter and left with a huge sack of everything I and the family loves!! I also left with a need to go back.

Another successful visit and ice cream session! The folks here are super and pleasantly offer…read moresamples as needed. Such a cute, clean, fun little shop that everyone must see. Only a short distance north of I-80, it's a great place to stop and stretch your legs on the way between the way to Omaha! Shakes, malts, cones and cups - Oh my! Visit the friendly team in Casey!!

Delicious and smooth coffee and great, rich ice cream treats! Staff were friendly and…read moreaccommodating. There's not much room but it's very cute and inviting. We will certainly be back!

The ice cream is delicious. I first found out about Wiggy's at a special event where they were…read moreserving ice cream. I had their Butterfinger which is excellent. Since then I have had their chocolate (very chocolaty) and coffee (made with real coffee) and both rich and creamy. My favorite is still the Butterfinger, but there are more flavors to try. Their truck is located in the Stonebrook Community Church parking lot Monday through Saturday 5-9 PM, but be sure to check their Facebook page, or call, as they may be away at a special event.

Great ice cream cart. Ice cream is prepackaged with 3 small scoops in a container. It is fresh and…read moreyummy. They have mint Oreo flavor which is out of this world.

Try the lemon ice cream or just order a shake or malt. No, I'd stick with the lemon ice cream. This…read moreplace is a great place to get ice cream because they literally sell ice cream. You won't be disappointed either because it's big portions and diversity flavors. What more? You can get other food type items here that they also sell. Top notch.

Food, service & ambience all three areas were positive. Clean quick tasty fun. Easy way to get the…read moreneighborhood news. No long wait. Never heard a compliant. Look forward to my next visit.

Quaint, clean, friendly and local! Food was fresh, delicious and nice for a light meal. Service was…read morevery attentive, kind and welcoming. I purchased some extra energy drinks syrups to my week and they were refreshing! Can't wait to see what they have next time.

About an hour and a half drive but well worth the trip!…read moreSaturday early afternoon and it was packed...about a half hour wait for seating was the only downside. Service was outstanding and the staff seemed to be handling multiple aspects of the jobs and helping each other out...no one just did one thing and I think that really sped up the service. Katie was our primary server and was outstanding! We ordered up a two and a three meat deal and had Campground Beans, Creamy Coleslaw, Cheesy Potatoes,, and Mac & Cheese as sides as well as a slice of Texas Toast and Cornbread as sides....oh, and Golden Corn Nuggets as an appetizer. The Corn Nuggets were good and sweet and served up with honey and a ranch sauce for dipping. The meat choices were 3) Ribs, Pork Loin, and Turkey Breast....and 2) Pork Loin and Turkey Breast. The smoke on everything was amazing and just the right amount for excellent flavors..the ribs were very meaty. Some places ribs leave you wanting but not at Watcha Smoking! The Pork Loin and the Turkey Breast were both very good as well...still tender and not dried out. I liked the Neck of the Woods sauce the best (mild tomato based) as well as the Carolina Gold sauce...it had nice kick to it. The sides were all good but the only issue was the Cheesy Potatoes were a bit dry.....I'm thinking that it must've been towards the end of the batch and had been sitting around for a bit. Cornbread was excellent, Texas Toast tops, Coleslaw was a good shredded, wet slaw, the Mac and Cheese very good, and the Campground Beans were the preferred side as they had some good chunks of smoked meats mixed in. Fantastic place, great for small groups and large groups as well...great food and great service...Definitely worth the trip!

Really enjoyed the premier BBQ joint in the greater Des Moines area in my visit to Whatcha Smokin'…read morein the midst of a rural backdrop, this place was definitely worth the 45 minute trek from the state capital for delicious brisket, corn, slaw and sweet tea at a very affordable price. I appreciated the dual restaurant ambiance for a service side with waiters or a order at the register style. All BBQ restaurants have one or the other but not both. The meet was tender and juicy and as their name would suggest - smoked to perfection. I don't know if I'll find myself in Iowa ever again but if I do I will definitely make another pilgrimage to Whatcha smokin for the states best BBQ

Enjoyed some time at this small business on Main Street today. We ended up getting some coffee and…read morethe forest berry sorbet which was all very yummy. They also have a lot of different and unique merchandise for sale outside of the ice cream and beverages like jewelry, games, puzzles, decorations, snacks, small gifts etc. I would definitely recommend checking it out!

The lemon ice cream was amazing! Nice owners and gift shop too…read more My husband loved their signature Marmalade Moon ice cream . All ice cream made from scratch